The UN Global Compact: Corporate Social Responsibility in India and Russia

Abstract

This chapter compares participation of NGOs from India and Russia in the UN Global Compact (UNGC). It identifies a puzzling difference: Indian NGOs have joined the UNGC with equal enthusiasm to Indian companies, while Russian companies vastly outnumber NGOs. The UNGC is an example of a governance initiative that attracted robust NGO participation at first, but offers relatively low authority and lacks specific tools for NGOs to engage in domestic mediation and participate in decision-making, which may lead to stagnation. In addition, competing domestic CSR initiatives may provide alternative venues for NGOs and business actors that disperse their participation. However, domestic government policy measures may stimulate NGOs’ engagement with parallel global governance institutions. Indian NGO mediation efforts have been more effective than those of Russian NGOs due to different industrial profiles and export orientations, domestic government policies on CSR, and traditions of corporate philanthropy.